Drier.



L. C. REED` DRIER.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 21. 1918.

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DRIER.

APPLlcATloN FILED FEB.2|.1918.

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APPLICATION FILED FEB( 2l, Isla.

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LUTHER CALVIN REED, OF DALLAS, TEXAS.

DRIER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 27, 1918.

Application led February 21, 1918. Serial No. 218,545.

To all 'whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LUTHER CALVIN REED, a citizen of the United States, residing at Dallas, in the county of Dallas and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Driers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to driers and has for its object the provision of an apparatus which may be installed at a low cost and will prove eii'icient in operation. The mechanism is intended primarily for use in drying fertilizers, animal hair, and similar products but is adapted for drying vegetables and other commodities.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a side elevation, artly brokenaway, of an apparatus emboc ying my improvements;

Figs. 2 and 3 are elevations looking at the opposite ends of the apparatus;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged vertical section on the line lf-t of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a detail transverse section through' one of the dryino units and more or less diagrammatic in haracter;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged longitudinal section on the line 6-6 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 7 is a detail section taken on the line 7-7 0f Fig. 6;

Figs. 8 and 9 are, respectively, a side elevation and a plan view of an elbow forming a part of the vent.

In carrying out my invention, I employ a plurality of steam jackets or pipes in which are mounted spiral conveyers, the conveyers in the alternate pipes being rotated in opposite directions so that the material will be caused to travel back and forth through the successive units.

The invention also comprehends the provision of simple and compact means for operating the spiral conveyers and also includes means for venting the apparatus or drawing-olf the foul air and obnoxious odors. In the accompanying drawings the reference numeral 1 indicates a base of any substantial character upon which are erected brackets 2 at the ends thereof and in the said brackets are secured steam jackets or pipes 3 which may be provided in any desired number and are disposed in parallel relation one above another and spaced slightly apart, as clearly shown in Fig. 1. The pipes will preferably be covered with asbestos or be threaded intoI the bracket 2,

some similar non-heat conducting material, as shown at 4, so that the heat will be retained within the steam pipes or jackets and raise the temperature of the inner tubes 5 within which the spiral conveyers 6 operate. The brackets 2 are provided with lateral perforated lugs or ears so that suitable securing bolts may be inserted therethrough to rnily secure together the superposed brackets, and each bracket is preferably in the form of an annulus having an internal flange or rim 8 adapted to provide a bearing for the pipe or tube 5 and also close the end of the steam pipe 3. The steam pipe may as shown clearly in Fig. 6, and the heat resistant cover at will be carried, of course, up to and against the inner face of theibracket. Packing 9 Will be preferably provided around the pipe or tube 5 and against the outer face of the flange 8 of the bracket and a gland 10 will be secured upon the rim 11 provided upon the outer face of the bracket so as to compress the packing 9 against the outer peripheral surface of the pipe 5 and thereby prevent leakage and loss of steam or other heating medium. The pipes 5 extend through and beyond the brackets, and means are provided at the ends of said pipes for supporting and driving the conveyers 6 while hoppers and vents are also provided at the ends of the pipes 5 to carry off the obnoxious n odors and also permit the passage of the material from one Conveyer to the next conveyer, all of which will be presently more fully set forth. To supply the steam or other heating medium to the steam jackets 3 I provide a feed pipe 11 which may lead directly from a steam boiler and extends the full height of the apparatus, being provided at intervals with the branch pipes 12 corresponding in number to the units of the drier and each branch leading into one steam jacket as shown most clearly in Fig. 5. As shown in said Fig. 5, the branch pipe 12 communicates with the steam jacket above the center thereof and at the opposite side of the said jacket and below the center of the same, a return branch 13 leads to an escape or return pipe 14 by which the water of condensation is carried to the boiler to be again converted into steam.

As previously stated, each pipe 5 contains a spiral conveyer 6 and these conveyers are rotated in opposite directions. The shaft 15 of each conveyer is extended through the ends of the respective pipe 5 and caps 16 which constitute closures for the said ends and are also carried beyond the said caps and, at one end of the apparatus equippedY with sprocket wheels l, a sprocket chain 18 passing around the said sprocket wheels 1l and also around an idler 19 which is supported in brackets 2O extending laterally from some of the caps 16 at an intermediate point of the height of the apparatus, this idler serving to support the intermediate portion of the return run of the sprocket chain so that it will not interfere with the proper rotation of the sprockets 17 and also being adapted for use as a chain tightener to preserve the proper tension upon the chain and compensate for wear of its parts. is clearly shown in 2, the chain passes around the alternate sprockets at opposite sides thereof so that each sprocket will rotate in an opposite direction to the sprockets respect'vely above and below it and, consequently, the alternate conveyors will be rotate-d in opposite directions and therefore feed the material being dried alternately toward the opposite ends of the apparatus Lubricating cups 21 are provided upon the several caps 16 to lubricate the several conveyers shafts, and in order to impart the necessary rotation to the several parts one, preferably the lowerinost7 convcyer shaft is equipped with a worin gear which meshes with a worin 23 upon a driving shaft so that motion may be transmitted to the several conveyer shafts from any convenient motor. rihe shaft 2i and worm 2.3 are housed within a casino' 25 formed upon the outer side of ythe cap 16 so that the driving gearing will be completely inclosed and may be caused to run in oil if so desired.

rlhe material `is fed into the uppermost drier pipe through a hopper 26 at one end thereof which hopper may be of any preferred form and opens directly into the said pipe. rIfhe material will pass through the said hopper directly into the interior of the drier pipe and will be at once engaged by the conveyer G therein so as to be forced to move slowly through the pipe to the opposite end thereof where it will be deposited in a hopper or chute 27 which leads from the lower side of the said uppermost drier pipe into the upper side of the next subjacent drier pipe, as will be readily understood and as shown in Fig. 1. The inaterial will then be at once engaged by the conveyer in the said second drier pipe and will be caused to travel slowly through the saine toward the feeding end of the apparatus where it will drop through a second chute 27 into the third drier pipe, and this operation is repeated until the material reaches the discharge end of the lowerinost drier pipe whence it passes into an outlet pipe Q8 which may lead to any desired point of discharge. rihe several chutes 27 are tapered somewhat downwardly so as to counteract the tendency of the material to spread and direct the entire body of the same onto the subjacent conveyer. Vent elbows 29 are provided at the ends of the apparatus and these elbows rise from the upper sides of those drier pipes which have the chutes 27 extending from their lower sides, the elbows extending laterally between the adjacent drier units and communicating directly with the vent pipes 30 which rise to points above the uppermost drier unit where they communicate with a common exhause pipe 31 which: leads into a fan or blower 32 from which the outlet pipe 33 extends to any desired point outside the building. The fan or blower 32 may be obviously driven from the drivingshaft 24: or connected with the motor independently of said driving shaft and it will also be readily understood that the provin sion of this venting mechanism prevents the circulation of dust and the deposit of the saine upon the apparatus so as to clog its operation, and also carries off from the building the obnoxious odors which are sometimes attendant upon the use of such au apparatus so that the materials being fed into the drier may be inspected thoroughly without any disagreeable features.

My improved drier may be readily installed at any point inasmuch as most of the parts are simply pipes of standard diameters which may be easily obtained in any section of the country and the castings are of such simple construction that they may be easily produced in any well equippcd foundry. The parts are very coinpactly arranged so that a drier of large capacity may be built in a comparatively small space and the operation of the mechanismy is free of complications so that a highly skilled attendant is .not necessary. Moreover,l the simplicity of the constructiony and Varrangement of its parts prolongs Vthe life of the mechanism and permits theimachine to be built in less time and at less expense than othermachines for the same purpose now known to me. The simplicity of the mechanism also permits it to vbe eiiiciently driven with a motor of less horse power than is now required for other` machines having the same general object. y'The heat may be regulated as may be required and the material will be driven through the machine at a low speed so thatrtheproduction of ammonia will ybe conserved and this valuable element of fertilizers will .not be set free by overheating.v As the machine is composed essentially of a y plurality of similar units it maybe increased in capacity as occasion may demand veryreadily, and if any one unit should become broken or damaged so as to lose its utility a new unit may be substituted therefor without requiring the provision of an entire new apparatus.

The embodiment of the invention illustrated is that which I now believe to be the best manner of applying my improvements, but it is to be understood that various changes may be made in the details of construction without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as the same is defined in the following claims.

Havino' thus described the invention, what is czlaimed as new is:

l. An apparatus for the purpose set forth comprising a plurality of superposed brackets, heating jackets having their ends secured in and closed by said brackets, pipes extending through said jackets `and said brackets, caps closing the ends of the pipes, chutes connecting the opposite ends of alternate pipes with the adjacent ends of subjacent pipes between the brackets and the caps, conveyers disposed within the pipes and journaled in said caps, and means for driving the alternate conveyers in opposite directions.

2. An apparatus for the purpose set forth comprising a plurality of superposed brackets, heating jackets having their ends secured in and closed by said brackets, pipes extending through said jackets and said brackets, caps closing the ends of the pipes, chutes connecting the opposite ends of alternate pipes with the adjacent ends of subjacent pipes between thebrackets and the caps, conveyers disposed within the pipes and j ournaled in said caps, means for driving the alternate conveyers in opposite directions a supply pipe for a heating medium disposed at one side of the apparatus and having branches leading into the respective jackets above the centers thereof, and a return pipe disposed at the opposite side of the apparatus and having branches leading from the respective jackets below the centers thereof.

3. An apparatus for the purpose set forth comprising a plurality of superposed brackets, heating jackets having their ends secured in and closed by said brackets, pipes extending through said jackets and said brackets, caps closing the ends of the pipes, chutes connecting the opposite ends of alternate pipes with the adjacent ends of subjacent pipes between the. brackets and the caps, conveyers disposed within the pipes and j ournaled in said caps, means for driving the alternate conveyers in opposite directions, lateral vents leading from the ends of alternate pipes over the chutes depending therefrom, and an escape pipe common to all the vents.

4. An apparatus for the purpose set forth comprising a plurality of superposed brackets, heating jackets having their ends secured in and closed by said brackets, caps closing the ends of the pipes, chutes connecting the opposite ends of alternate pipes with the adjacent ends of subj acent pipes between the brackets and the caps, conveyers disposed within the pipes and having their shafts journaled in said caps, gears on the ends of the shafts to rotate in opposite directions, a housing on one of the caps around the conveyer shaft extending therethrough, a gear on said shaft within said housing, a driving shaft journaled in said housing, and a worm on the drivin shaft within the housing meshing with sai gear.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

LUTHER CALVIN REED. A[n s.]

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

